This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer

Buy me here or on Amazon.com

May one get a haircut during Shloshes Yimei Hagbala, and when Erev Shavuos coincides with Shabbos?

Even if it is past one’s accustomed mourning period, according to Kabbalah, one is to avoid getting a haircut throughout the period of Sefira, including during the Shloshes Yimei Hagbala, until Erev Shavuos[1], and so is the Chabad custom.^[2]

On Erev Shavuos: It is permitted, and is a Mitzvah, to get a haircut on Erev Shavuos. One may do so even past midday.

Erev Shavuos that falls on Shabbos:^[3] When Erev Shavuos coincides with Shabbos, one may get a haircut on Erev Shabbos which is the 48^th day of the Omer.^[4] This applies even according to the Kabbalistic ruling and Chabad custom. [One may begin to take a haircut after sunrise of Erev Shabbos, although not the night before.[5]] However, when Shavuos falls on Monday, one is not to get a haircut on Erev Shabbos, but only on Erev Shavuos.[6]

________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Custom of Arizal, brought in Peri Eitz Chaim 22:7; Shaar Hakavanos 86; Nehar Shalom 25; Igeres Ramaz 2; Birkeiy Yosef 493:6; Moreh Baetzba 8:221; Minchas Elazar 4:44; Kaf Hachaim 493:13

Other opinions: Some write that according to even according to Kabbalah one may get a haircut on the 48^th day of Omer and that so was the custom of Rav Chaim Vital. [Minchas Elazar ibid]

[2] Hayom Yom p. 53; Sefer Haminhagim p. 86 [English] “The Rebbe Rashab was uneasy with those which took haircuts during the Shloshes Yimei Hagbala”

[3] Moreh Baetzba 8:221; Minchas Elazar 3:65; Kaf Hachaim 493:13; Shevach Hamoadim p. 235 footnote 10 in name of Rav Shmuel Levitin that so was the custom in Lubavitch; Otzer Minhagei Chabad p. 290

Other opinions: The Rashash questioned whether one may get a haircut on the 48^th day of Omer even in such a case. He concluded that if he would not have been forced into it, he would not have gotten a haircut on the 48^th. [Nehar Shalom p. 25]

[4] The reason: Although in general, based on the custom of the Arizal, we avoid haircuts until Erev Shavuos, this only applies when Erev Shavuos falls on a weekday, as one cannot enter into the festival with improper attire. Furthermore, it is recorded in Shaar Hakavanos that Rav Chaim Vital was always accustomed to get a haircut on the 48^th day of Omer. Some learn this itself was due to Kabalistic reasons. Furthermore, even according to the Rashash who leaned to be stringent not to take a haircut on Erev Shabbos in such a coincidence, nevertheless he too forced himself to do so. Hence there is no room to be stringent on the above, and on the contrary one should do so. [See Minchas Elazar ibid]

[5] See next Q&A!

[6] Hagahos Chasam Sofer 493